Vol. 511 No. 3
191 Mr. Enright asked the Minister for Finance the number of persons availing of the blind car owners and users association scheme; the number of applications his Department receives each year for assistance under this scheme; the parameters under which this scheme operates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24179/99]
I am not aware of any blind car owners and users' association scheme. I assume that the Deputy is asking about the disabled drivers' and disabled passengers' (tax concessions) scheme. As I have informed the House on a number of occasions, the terms and conditions governing this scheme are set out in Statutory Instrument No. 353 of 1994, copy of which is available in the Dáil Library.
The scheme is administered on a day-to-day basis by the Revenue Commissioners, who, under the regulations, may only consider an application for relief where a primary medical certificate has been issued to the person concerned by the senior area medical officer employed by the appropriate health board. I have been informed by Revenue that the number of recipients of vehicle registration tax and VAT refunds under the scheme in each of the years 1997 to date in 1999 is as follows: 1997, 2,116; 1998, 2,556; 1999 to date, 2,515.
